Exactly one month after closing the Aldergrove Legion the B.C. and Yukon (BC&Y) Command has re-opened the branch’s bar operations.
About 200 Aldergrove branch members turned out to hear the decision at a meeting hosted by the Command on Thursday evening, March 16, at the Legion branch.
Shelley Coburn, manager of branch advisory operations for the Legion’s BC&Y Command, told The Star that the Aldergrove branch will remain under trusteeship for two years and the bar’s schedule has been revised but otherwise it will now “be business as usual.”
“We’ve made changes to hours, the hours have been cut back and we’ve tightened up operations a little, like we have at many other branches,” said Coburn.
“We’ve also put a management committee in place, chaired by Deputy Zone Commander Karen Kuzek, which includes members from the (Aldergrove) branch. We called for volunteers from the branch and interviewed them and selected several for the management committee.
“And we could always use more volunteers, if any of the members want to become involved, just contact us.”
Last month Coburn told The Star that their goal in the review was to “cause as little disturbance to the branch, impact them for as short a time as possible. We want to offer support and give back the branch to its own executive as soon as possible.”
Coburn said the past month had been “exhausting” for the BC&Y Command because the Aldergrove branch’s hall had remained open for business throughout the review of the bar’s operations, and trustees had to be present for these events and activities. The hall is rented out to many community groups and individuals for functions as varied as Scout meetings and wedding receptions.
“It’s a great branch with fantastic community and membership support and we wanted to ensure it remains one of our strong, healthy branches with a very strong future,” said Coburn.
